The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Labour – protestChina Labour Watch: labour petitioners detained and may face severe charges中国劳工观察：烟台工人上访被关押，面临判刑厄运Chinesenewsnet.com, January 27, 2005Lay-off workers of Yantai (煙台), Shandong have been detained by police when they made a petition at the district office. Li Xintao (李信濤), leader of the petition, has yet to be released and may face severe charges.http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Mainland/2005_1_26_19_5_41_802.html

TibetChina Commutes Tibetan Monk's Death SentenceVoice of America, January 26, 2005The Chinese authorities have commuted the death sentenced given to Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche, a Tibetan spiritual leader who was convicted of involvement in fatal bombings and inciting separatist activities, to a life imprisonment.http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-01-26-voa12.cfm

News

CorruptionBattle against official graft nets 459 in Shanghai last yearSCMP, January 27, 2005According to an annual report of the Shanghai prosecutor’s office, it stated that 402 corruption cases involving 459 people had been filed for corruption last year in Shanghai.http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZMQPAHJ3E.html

Detention - cases

US to push China to release Uighur minority leader Rebiya KadeerAgence France Presse, 27 January 2005The United States said it would push Beijing to release a prominent advocate of women's and minority rights ailing in a Chinese prison.www.afp.org

Death penaltyChina questions death penaltyPeople’s Daily, January 27, 2005In a conference on the topic of death penalty, a group of legal experts voiced their favorable support to a probably abolishment of death penalty in China, citing with powerful ground of China’s commitment in observing human rights in accordance with international standards.http://english1.peopledaily.com.cn/200501/27/eng20050127_172139.html

Government – electionsCivil Affairs bureau regulates corruption practice in elections as village elections in 18 provinces underway中国18省份村委会换届选举 民政部界定贿选行为Chinesenewsnet.com, January 27, 2005Ministry of Civil Affairs issued a notice in regulating corruption practice of village elections, aiming to deter intentional and unintentional corruption acts during upcoming village election in 18 provinces this year.http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Mainland/zxs_2005-01-27_533769.shtml

Government – governance and accountabilityAuditors inspect int'l aid projectsXinhuanet.com, January 27, 2005International aid projects are to be subject for stringent supervision and auditing, highlighting the latest battleground of the China’s “auditing storm”.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/27/content_2513096.htm

Audit results publicized helps supervision of governmentXinhuanet.com, January 27, 2005State Auditing Administration will make auditing reports of government organs public to show the government’s persistent efforts in curbing economic crimes and corruption of government officials.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/27/content_2513256.htm

Capital acts to scrap law on migrant restrictionsSCMP, January 27, 2005Beijing’s municipal government considers abandoning restrictions on migrant residents, which have long been considered discriminatory in nature and unable to meet the development needs of the city.http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZFKZCHJ3E.html

Human Rights-reforms

China rejects US prod on democracy and human rightsAgence France Presse, 27 January 2005China on Thursday rejected the United States' call for it to speed up democratic reforms and improve human rights, insisting great improvements have already been made at its own pace. www.afp.org

. . . But Don't Forget DemocracyThe Asian Wall Street Journal, 27 January 2005 (Hu Ping)U.S. President George W. Bush declared war on tyranny last week, and Condoleezza Rice branded six countries as "outposts of tyranny." But missing from this list was China. www.wsj.com

June 4th - EU arms embargoArming China, and NotThe Wall Street Journal, 27 January 2005We thought the West had decided that the best way to deal with China is to increase commerce to encourage economic and political liberalization, while discouraging nationalist forces that would threaten such a peaceful evolution. www.wsj.com

Labour – industrial accidentsFirework blast in Guangxi leads to 18 death and injuries广西一爆竹厂爆炸，死伤18人Radio Free Asia, January 26, 20054 died and 14 injured in an illegal firework factory in Guangxi, with most of the victims women workers in the factory.http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/01/26/baozha/

Law- legal rightsSome good news out of ChinaSouth China Morning Post, 27 January 2005The Communist Party has traditionally intruded deep into people's personal lives. But now, we are told, there is draft legislation, entitled, Law for personal information protection of the People's Republic of China. www.scmp.com

Migrant workers- lawXIN ZHIMINGChina Daily, 27 January 2005It was astonishing to hear a Beijing policy adviser proposing an "access system" for the inflow of labourers from other parts of the country into the capital. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/home/index.html

Public health / EnvironmentWaste trade a far bigger threat than ants, say villagersSCMP, January 27, 2005Villagers in Wuchuan, Guangdong blamed the booming waste trade in the province lead to outbreak of red-ants infestation in villages and that caused substantial harms to the villagers.http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZUJQ6HJ3E.html

Public healthRegulations on nutrition to be drafted the first time in China居民营养令人忧 我国拟制定首部营养条例Xinhuanet.com, January 27, 2005China attempts to make the first set of regulations on nutrition in response to growing attentions on poor nutrition conditions in the society.http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2005-01/27/content_2512873.htm

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